Mr Mister catering to the changing trends

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Business

Mr Mister catering to the changing trends

Back in 1999, Mr O’Gorman saw a need for a menswear shop like Mr Mister and now he boasts one of the biggest selections of suits in Munster.

Sandra Quinn

Thursday, 25 April 2013
3:59 AM GMT



Over the past 14 years, Val O'Gorman has been taking Mr Mister from strength to strength and as the one year anniversary for the Cahir branch approaches, Mr O'Gorman will be letting the business evolve and grow through the revitalised website and online shop, which will be launched in the next month.

Back in 1999, Mr O'Gorman saw a need for a menswear shop like Mr Mister and now he boasts one of the biggest selections of suits in Munster.

The suit hire, which is something that has taken off in recent years with the recession, is something which Mr Mister started within a year of their opening, so they have all of their own stock and have the expertise that comes with more than a decade of experience in the area.

Mr O'Gorman added that the two groom's rooms upstairs give men the privacy and space to make the right decisions about the suit that fits them best and he said that his trained staff members will always urge a customer to go home and think about an item, if they are unsure, as he said that they are not interested in the quick sell.

From day one, Mr Mister have stocked a wide range of products and Mr O'Gorman said that a customer once said that they have everything to suit a man from the 'cradle to the grave' and with boys clothes, shoes, men's casual wear, suits and sizes up to 8XL, Mr O'Gorman said that it wouldn't be unusual for three generations of the one family to all come in and get something in the one day.

The Cahir shop is something that Mr O'Gorman, who is originally from Cashel, had been considering for some time and now that the branch is open almost a year, he said that it is going very well.

"It also gives us more buying power, so we can get items at a better discount and can pass that saving onto the customer. For instance, we have a suit that should retail at €500 or €600, but we can give it to the customer for €350, with prices going from €199 and with the handmade suits, there is hand stitching and attention to detail.

"A lot of places would do a cheaper suit, but we go for a better suit at the right price," he said.

Mr O'Gorman said that the menswear shop has always had great local support from Mitchelstown and the hinterland and that he is forever grateful for that. He added that Mr Mister has grown and evolved in line with what the customers are looking for.

Since Mr Mister first opened, the economy has been turned on its side and Mr O'Gorman said that he sees a reflection of this in the buying patterns of customers and changing trends.

He explained that before the recession, young men would have had steady incomes (for some, this has unfortunately changed) and would have come in on a Friday to get a new T-shirt, sweatshirt and pair of jeans to go out that weekend. But now, while they are still coming in for new outfits, they want items that will last longer and present the same quality as before, but for better value.

Mr O'Gorman added that a lot of their younger customers have now emigrated and this is one of the things which has spurred him on to put more emphasis on the online shop, so that if someone is living in Australia, they can still have a little bit of Mitchelstown in their wardrobe.

He is also hoping that the website will strengthen their exterior market and it will also give people the opportunity to see all of the new stock online.

However, Mr O'Gorman said that over the years, it is the team behind him and his staff members who have made Mr Mister what it is today and he said that by providing tried and tested products with personal service and expertise, they will continue to be a big part of the menswear retail industry in the locality in the years to come.

Business Bytes, Mr Mister



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